Magazine closure for stapling implements



Aug. 6, 1957 R. w. JENNY v2,801,417

MAGAZINE CLOURE FOR STAPLING IMPLEMENTS .original Filed March 25, 1955 2 sheets-sheet 1 Aug. 6, 1957 R. w. JENNY MAGAZINE cLosuRE Foa sTAPLING IMPLEMENTS 2 Sheetsv-Sheet 2 Original Filed March 25, 1955 INVENTOR: Roberl' W Jenny BY @Qt ATTORNEYS.

MAGAZINE CLOSURE FOR STAPLING IMPLEMENTS Robert W. Jenny, Bellevue, Wash., assigner to Bostitch,

i Inc., Stonington, Conn., a corporation of Rhode istanti `Original.application March25, 1955, Serial No. 496,641.

.4 Claims. (Cl. 1-49) Thisapplication is a division from my pending application, Serial No. 496,641, filed March 25, 1955.

The present invention relates to improvements in stapling implements and more particularly to the magazine for containing-a supply of staples and a novel construction, of closure for the forward open end of the magazine forming a throat or raceway through which the staples may be-rdriven.

".A particular object of the invention is to provide an implement of .the type indicated having` a removable insert at the front of the throat which is slidable to open the throat or raceway through Vwhich the staples are driven for clearing it of jammed staples causedv by misalinement ordistortion of their shape.

Another .object is ,to provide an improved closure for the open end ofthe magazine which may beslid into place to form the front wall of the throat 'and automatically locked in place1 by resiliently-operated latching means.

Another object is to provide a slidable closure for the open front of the magazine which is readily releasable by the locking means so `that it may be withdrawn Vfrom the magazine `without removing screws or lother Imanually-operable fastening means.

Further objects of the invention are set forth `in the following specification which describes a preferred -form of construction of the magazine-closure, by -way of example, as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.` `In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a'general View in side elevationof -the cornplete implement shown with its parts in normal relationship;

Fig. 2 is a sectional View ofthe implement taken on its longitudinal axis and illustrating the operating mechanism within its hollow frame;

Fig. 3 is a front elevational View showing the arrangement of the closure-means for the magazine;

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional View on -line 4-4f of Fig. l;

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view of the magazine illustrating the staple core for slidably supporting the staples therein and the pusher for feeding-the staples forwardly to deliver them into vthe throat through which they are driven;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of -the rmagazine-closure viewed in a direction looking toward vits rearward wall which abuts the open end of the magazine; and

Fig. 7 is a perspective View of the magazine-closure viewed in a direction loking toward its forward face.

The present improvements are herein shown and'described as applied to use with a duid pressure-operated stapler such as disclosed in my pending application referred to hereinabove; but it is to be understood that the invention may be applied 4to other types of machines, either power-driven or hand-operated.

Referring to the drawings, as herein shown the stapling implement may consist in a hollow handle member 2 (Fig. 2) having a cylindrical'head 3'atits forward nited States Patent icc " Patented Aug. 6,. 1957 2 end that is mounted kon or made a part of a verticalrcylinder 5 in which is a reciprocable piston 6 foractuating a blade-like staple-driver 7. The cylinder 5 is Vformed with, or hasattached thereto, a rearwardly-extending memberor arm 9 overlying and supporting a hollow magazine 10 for containing a supplyfof staples s.

The handle member 2 contains a chamber 11 for compressed air or hydraulic iiuid supplied theretor from a suitable source through a tube lor hose 12 connected to theV top of the head 3. A manually-operable valve 15 communicates with the pressure chamber 11 to admit air through a duct 16 into vthe upper end of the cylinder 5 for operating the piston 6 to actuate the staple-driver 7 for driving a staple into the work. A trigger 18 pivoted at 19 on the under side of the handle 2 provides for manually opening the valve 15. A passage 13 leading from thevalve 15 through the handle 2 is open to the Vatmosphere at its end for exhausting the air during the return stroke of the piston 6. A helical spring 17 seated at the bottom of the cylinder 5 has its upper end engaging the'piston 6. to carryit upwardly in a return stroke after each staple-driving operation.

The magazine 10 comprises a trough-shaped casing having a vbottom wall 20 with parallel side walls 21 (Fig.

5) extendingupwardly therefrom with a slight space at the top beneath the horizontal member or arm 9. With- Vin the interior of the magazine 1t) is a longitudinallyi extending U-shaped staple-core 25 formed with a bottom wall 26 and parallel side walls 27 projecting upwardly to a height equal to -that of the side walls 21 of the magazine. In the rearward end of the core 25 is an insert28 (Fig. 2) welded or otherwise fastened to its side walls 27 and projecting beyond the end of the magazine with its top of arcuate shape at its end to provide a rest for guiding the end of a staple-'strip thereinto. The staple-core 25 is seated in a channel-shaped sheet-metal strip 30 welded or otherwise fastened to the bottom wall 20 of the magazine 10. A cross-pin 31 inserted through holes in the side walls 21 of the magazine 10 and through holes in the side walls 27 of the core 25 fastens the core in place.

A staple-pusher 40 (Figs. 1 and 5) formed from sheet- 'metal has a top wall 41 adapted to be slidably mounted the magazine 10 in contact therewith. The legs 42 are provided with concave Vlinger-tabs 43 welded or otherwise fastened thereto which serve for manually sliding the pusher 40 rearwardly on the core 25. The pusher 40 is advanced longitudinally in the magazine 10 by means of a helical wire spring 45 (Fig. 2) anchored at one end to a pin 46 (Fig. 5) bridging a central longitudinal slot 47 in the horizontal arm 9 and held fast in holes in the sides thereof. At the forward end of the slot 47 in the arm 9 is a roller or pulley 49 journaled on a pin 56 held fast in holes in the sides of the arm. The spring 45 extends forwardly and then down around the pulley '49 to reach rearwardly with its end fastened to a lug 51 bent up from the top wall of the pusher 40.

A nosepiece 55 is constructed integral with or ixedly attached to the forward part of the magazine i@ with its upper portion fitting closely within a recess 56 at the bottom of the cylinder 5; being fastened in place by the screws 57 threaded into the laterally-haring end of the horizontal arm 9 (Figs. 2 and 4). The nosepieceSS is of U-shape in cross-section with its inner face 60 extending throughout the full length thereof and forming the rearward wall of the staple-throat through which the staples are driven. At the sides of the face 60 the projecting portions'of the nosepiece 55 are undercut or slotted to provide grooved guideways 61 (Fig. 4) for receiving the marginal portions 73 of the detachable closure-plate 65 (Figs. 4, 6 and 7) to mount it for forming the forward wall of the staple-throat. The closure-plate 65 is slotted vertically to provide a recessed face 66 which is opposed to the face 60 of the nosepiece 55 with the lower portion of said face recessed to a lesser extent to form a forward face 67 at the bottom of the staple-throat. At the sides of the face 66 are narrow ribs 68 formed by shouldered portions which cooperate with the forward face 60 (Fig. 4) on the nosepiece 55 to form grooved guideways 70 for receiving the thin flanges 69 (Fig. 4) on the sides of the staple-driver 7. The bottom of the closure-plate 65 is extended laterally at each side in abutments 71 (Figs. 6 and 7) which, together with its opposite beveled portion 72, form a foot forV the lower end of the nosepiece 55. The closure-plate 65 is reduced in thickness along its sides to provide thinner ange-like portions 73 (Fig` 7) engageable with the guideways 61 on the sides of the nosepiece 55 to adapt the plate to slide upwardly therein for closing the front of the staple-throat. The upper part of the closure-plate 65 is slotted laterally to provide a series of cross-members or teeth '74, the final end tooth 75 being beveled on its sides for a purpose later explained.

The closure-plate 65 is held in place in the nosepiece 55 by latching means mounted on a clamp 76 (Figs. 2 and 4) fastened at the front thereof. The upper end of the nosepiece fits within the recess 56 in the forward end of the arm 9. The screws 57 fasten the clamp 76 and nosepiece 55 to the end of the arm 9, thus serving to support the forward end of the magazine from the arm. For this purpose the strap-like clamp 76 extends laterally across the front of the nosepiece 55 (Figs. l and 3) with the shanks of the screws 57 projecting through holes at its ends. The threaded ends of the screws 57 engage in tapped holes in the end of the recess 56 at the forward end of the horizontal member or arm 9. The rearward end of the magazine 10 is supported from the arm 9 by a lug 77 projecting upwardly from the magazine and secured to the end of the arm by a screw 78.

The clamp 76 is formed at its center with a projecting box-like casing 80 having a horizontal bore 81 for receiving a slidable plunger 82. A pointed projection 83 on the forward end of the plunger 82 is adapted to engage in the slot between the adjacent teeth 74 and 75 on the face of the closure-plate 65. The plunger 82 has an axial bore 84 containing a helical wire spring 85, one end of which engages with the inner end of the bore 81 of the casing 80 for sliding the plunger to engage its pointed projection 83 between the teeth 74 and 75 on the closureplate 65. It will thus be observed that when the closureplate 65 is slid upwardly in the guideways 61 on the nosepiece 55 its beveled tooth 75 will engage the pointed projection 83 on the end of the plunger 82 to retract the plunger against the tension of the spring 85, whereafter the projection 83 will snap into the slot between the tooth 75 and the next adjacent tooth 74 as shown in Fig. 2 to releasably lock the closure-plate in place. The purpose of the remaining teeth in the series on the closure-plate 65 is to provide a slot for the insertion of a screw-driver or other tool whereby the closure-plate may be slid downwardly manually to release it from the spring-pressed plunger 82. By this means the closure-plate may be readily removed from the nosepiece 55 when it is required to clean the staple-throat or dislodge jammed staples therefrom. Preferably, the slots or grooved guideways 61 at the sides of the nosepiece 55 are dimensioned to provide for free entrance and easy sliding of the closure-plate 65 therein but the runners at the lower end of the plate are of the required thickness to cause the plate to bind snugly against the face 68.

In the forward end of the staple-core 24 is a hardened block-like insert 90 welded or otherwise secured to the interior walls of the core and conforming to the shape of the cross-bars or heads of staples used in the implement. The forward vertical face of the insert 90 forms a shearing edge at the top for severing the foremost staple s from the strip or refill-cartridge as the driver 7 descends to drive a staple through the throat for setting it in the work.

At the rearward end of the horizontal member or arm 9 is a rectangular opening 91 (Fig. 3) on its underside adapted to receive the upper portion of the staple-pusher 40 (Figs. 1 and 2) when it is drawn back to retain it therein for loading the magazine with staples. The forward end of the slotted opening 91 is beveled on the under side to adapt the staple-pusher 40 to be rocked and slid upwardly into the opening, a notch 92 in the forward end of the opening 91 being engaged by the horizontal edge-portion of the forward top wall 41 of the pusher 40 for latching it in place in raised relationship above the core 25 so that a strip of staples may be slid thereunder.

After a stick of staples has been supported on 4the end of the core beneath the raised and latched pusher 40 it is slid forwardly therebeyond and the pusher may be released by retracting it slightly and rocking its forward end downwardly in under the beveled portion of the opening 91 in the member 9. The spring 45 will then draw the pusher forwardly for engaging the staples to succes sively feed them into the throat in the nosepiece 55 at the front of the magazine 10. The method of operation of the implement is as next explained.

To prepare the implement for operation after thejmagazine 10 has been loaded with staples s the handle-member 2 may be held in one hand to apply the implement to the work. It will be understood that the implement may be connected to a source of power, either pneumatic or hydraulic pressure, by attaching a hose thereto. As the implement is held conveniently in one hand the operators foreflnger is looped under the trigger 18 for rocking it upwardly to raise the valve-plunger and open the valve 15. Pressure is admitted to the upper end of the bore in the cylinder 5 to act against the piston 6. Pressure on the piston 6 forces the staple-driver 7 down through the throat in the nosepiece 55, thereby causing it to shear the foremost staple s from the stick or strip in the magazine 10 and drive it into the work. Release of the trigger 18 causes the pressure in the air-chamber 11 to act against the head of the valve-plunger to close the intake port of the valve and open the exhaust port for releasing the air to exhaust through the passage 13 in the handle 2. Upon relief of pressure on the piston 6 the spring 17 will raise it to the upper end of the bore in the cylinder 5, thereby withdrawing the staple-driver 7 from the throat in the nosepiece 55. As the staple-driver 7 is withdrawn in this manner the pusher 40 will slide the staple stick forwardly under the tension of the spring 45 to feed another staple into the throat in the nosepiece 55. The parts of the staple-driving mechanism are thus returned to initial position to condition the implement for another operation. When the supply of staples in the magazine 10 has been exhausted the operator may grasp the finger-tabs 43 overlying the sides of the magazine to draw the staplepusher 40 rearwardly and raise it into the opening 91 for latching it in inoperative relationship so that a fresh supply of staples may be inserted into the open rearward end of the magazine by resting the forward end of the stick on the rest or guide 28.

It will be observed from the foregoing specification that the present invention provides an improved stapler or fastener-applying implement which may be operated by pneumatic or hydraulic pressure, or in other cases may be constructed with manually-operative mechanical means for actuating the staple-driver.

The construction of the detachable closure-plate for the nosepiece at theA end of the staple-magazine provides for most convenient opening of the throat in the nosepiece to remove jammed or misalined staples therefrom, while also adapting the closure to be readily replaced and automatically latched in position.

While the invention is herein shown anddescribed as embodied in a preferred form of construction, it is to be understood that modifications may be made in the structure and arrangement of the parts of the device, and in the means for applying power thereto, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the accompanying claims. Therefore, without limiting myself in this respect, I claim:

1. In a machine of the type specified comprising a frame, and a staple-driver reciprocable in said frame, the combination of a nosepiece on said frame below said staple-driver, said nosepiece having a face arranged in alinement with the staple-driver and grooved guideways at its sides, a closure-plate having runners at its sides slidable in said guideways to mount it in parallel spaced relation to the face of the nosepiece, and latching means engageable between said closure-plate and said nosepiece for locking the closure-plate in position to form a throat or raceway for said staple-driver.

2. In a machine of the type specified comprising a frame, and a staple-driver mounted for reciprocation on said frame, the combination of a nosepiece on said frame arranged below said staple-driver, said nosepiece formed with a face alined with said staple-driver and provided with grooved guideways at its sides, a closure-plate having `runners at its sides slidable in said guideways to mount it in parallel spaced relation to the face of the nosepiece, a member fastened to the frame across the front of the nosepiece, a latch mounted in said member for movement to engage the closure-plate to lock it in position in the nosepiece, and resilient means for operating said latch.

3. In a machine of the type specified comprising a frame, and a staple-driver reciprocable on said frame, a nosepiece on said frame formed with a face alined with said staple-driver for engagement with the rearward face thereof, said nosepiece formed with slotted guideways at its sides, a closure-plate slidable in said guideways to mount it in opposite spaced relation to the face of said nosepiece for forming a throat in which said stapledriver may slide, a member fastened at the front of said nosepiece and formed with a bore therein, a plunger slidable in said bore for engagement with a detent slot in said closure-plate, and a spring in the bore for sliding said plunger to engage it with said slot and lock the closure-plate in said nosepiece.

4. In a machine of the type specified comprising a channel-shaped magazine for containing staples, a stapledriver reciprocable across the end of said magazine for driving staples therefrom, a nosepiece extending across said end of the magazine, a closure-plate slidably mounted at the front of said nosepiece in spaced relation thereto for forming a throat to receive staples fed from the maga- Zine, said closure-plate formed with a laterally-extending slot, a member fastened to said nose-piece overlying said `closure-plate and provided with a pocket therein, a latch mounted for movement in said pocket to engage the slot in the closure-plate for releasably holding it in position on the nose-piece, and resilient means for actuating said latch.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

